5. This refers to the French translation of the London Evening Post's (22–24 Aug.) account of the capture of a large portion of the British convoy bound
for the East and West Indies by the combined French and Spanish fleet on 9 Aug. that
was contained in John Thaxter's letter of 27 Aug. (not printed, see descriptive note).
There Thaxter indicated that Dana had just received the report from Edmé Jacques Genet,
but see also William Lee's letter of 27 Aug. (below). The total loss was enormous: 61 ships valued, with their cargoes, at £1,500,000,
and 3,000 prisoners (Mackesy, War for America, p. 357).